IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i5p4249-d1082223.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Macro Uncertainty Impacts on ESG Performance and Carbon Emission Reduction Targets

Author

Listed:
  • Maha Alandejani

    (Economics Department, Faculty of Economics and Administration, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

  • Habiba Al-Shaer

    (Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4SE, UK)

Abstract

This study examines the impact of three macro uncertainty factors: economic policy uncertainty (EPU), political instability (PIS), and cultural uncertainty avoidance (UA), on corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and carbon emission reduction targets. Additionally, we examine whether these macro factors are affected by the profitability of the company. Using an unbalanced sample of companies located in the USA, China, and the UK during the period 2013–2020, results show that during times of economic uncertainty, companies are more likely to engage in ESG activities, including establishing emission reduction targets. Companies in countries with lower levels of political stability (PS) exhibit greater levels of social and environmental engagements, and companies operating in societies that tolerate risks, including the risk associated with climate change, are more likely to have better ESG performance and be committed to emission reduction targets. The results also suggest that profitable companies are more likely to deal with uncertain environments successfully, as they have the required resources to invest in ESG. The study suggests several practical implications for managers and policymakers.

Suggested Citation

  • Maha Alandejani & Habiba Al-Shaer, 2023. "Macro Uncertainty Impacts on ESG Performance and Carbon Emission Reduction Targets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4249-:d:1082223
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/5/4249/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/5/4249/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nguyen, Phuong-Anh & Kecskés, Ambrus & Mansi, Sattar, 2020. "Does corporate social responsibility create shareholder value? The importance of long-term investors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    2. Qing Wang & Kefeng Xiao & Zhou Lu, 2020. "Does Economic Policy Uncertainty Affect CO 2 Emissions? Empirical Evidence from the United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-11, November.
    3. Hao Liang & Luc Renneboog, 2017. "On the Foundations of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(2), pages 853-910, April.
    4. Cameron Hepburn & Ella Adlen & John Beddington & Emily A. Carter & Sabine Fuss & Niall Mac Dowell & Jan C. Minx & Pete Smith & Charlotte K. Williams, 2019. "The technological and economic prospects for CO2 utilization and removal," Nature, Nature, vol. 575(7781), pages 87-97, November.
    5. Kim, Olivia S., 2019. "Does Political Uncertainty Increase External Financing Costs? Measuring the Electoral Premium in Syndicated Lending," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 54(5), pages 2141-2178, October.
    6. Mohammed Benlemlih & Amama Shaukat & Yan Qiu & Grzegorz Trojanowski, 2018. "Environmental and Social Disclosures and Firm Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(3), pages 613-626, October.
    7. Kent Walker & Fang Wan, 2012. "The Harm of Symbolic Actions and Green-Washing: Corporate Actions and Communications on Environmental Performance and Their Financial Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(2), pages 227-242, August.
    8. Scott R. Baker & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis, 2016. "Measuring Economic Policy Uncertainty," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 131(4), pages 1593-1636.
    9. Kang, Wensheng & Lee, Kiseok & Ratti, Ronald A., 2014. "Economic policy uncertainty and firm-level investment," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 39(PA), pages 42-53.
    10. Zhihong Wang & Tien‐Shih Hsieh & Joseph Sarkis, 2018. "CSR Performance and the Readability of CSR Reports: Too Good to be True?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(1), pages 66-79, January.
    11. Quang Nguyen & Trang Kim & Marina Papanastassiou, 2018. "Correction to: Policy uncertainty, derivatives use, and firm-level FDI," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(2), pages 248-248, February.
    12. Bell, R. Greg & Moore, Curt B. & Filatotchev, Igor, 2012. "Strategic and institutional effects on foreign IPO performance: Examining the impact of country of origin, corporate governance, and host country effects," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 197-216.
    13. Bui, Binh & Houqe, Muhammad Nurul & Zaman, Mahbub, 2020. "Climate governance effects on carbon disclosure and performance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    14. Tantawy Moussa & Amir Allam & Said Elbanna & Ahmed Bani‐Mustafa, 2020. "Can board environmental orientation improve U.S. firms' carbon performance? The mediating role of carbon strategy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 72-86, January.
    15. Viput Ongsakul & Pornsit Jiraporn & Sirimon Treepongkaruna, 2021. "Does managerial ownership influence corporate social responsibility (CSR)? The role of economic policy uncertainty," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(1), pages 763-779, March.
    16. Yu, Jian & Shi, Xunpeng & Guo, Dongmei & Yang, Longjian, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and firm carbon emissions: Evidence using a China provincial EPU index," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    17. Alkaraan, Fadi & Albitar, Khaldoon & Hussainey, Khaled & Venkatesh, VG, 2022. "Corporate transformation toward Industry 4.0 and financial performance: The influence of environmental, social, and governance (ESG)," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    18. Lu, Jing & Wang, Jun, 2021. "Corporate governance, law, culture, environmental performance and CSR disclosure: A global perspective," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    19. Karl V. Lins & Henri Servaes & Ane Tamayo, 2017. "Social Capital, Trust, and Firm Performance: The Value of Corporate Social Responsibility during the Financial Crisis," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(4), pages 1785-1824, August.
    20. Mohammad Badrul Muttakin & Tarek Rana & Dessalegn Getie Mihret, 2022. "Democracy, national culture and greenhouse gas emissions: An international study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 2978-2991, November.
    21. Dietz, Simon & Venmans, Frank, 2019. "Cumulative carbon emissions and economic policy: In search of general principles," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 108-129.
    22. Ker-Tah Hsu, 2012. "The Advertising Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Corporate Reputation and Brand Equity: Evidence from the Life Insurance Industry in Taiwan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(2), pages 189-201, August.
    23. Richard Borghesi & Kiyoung Chang & Ying Li, 2019. "Firm value in commonly uncertain times: the divergent effects of corporate governance and CSR," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(43), pages 4726-4741, September.
    24. Bonaime, Alice & Gulen, Huseyin & Ion, Mihai, 2018. "Does policy uncertainty affect mergers and acquisitions?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(3), pages 531-558.
    25. Quang Nguyen & Trang Kim & Marina Papanastassiou, 2018. "Policy uncertainty, derivatives use, and firm-level FDI," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 96-126, January.
    26. Li Cai & Jinhua Cui & Hoje Jo, 2016. "Corporate Environmental Responsibility and Firm Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(3), pages 563-594, December.
    27. Liu, Jinyu & Zhong, Rui, 2017. "Political uncertainty and a firm's credit risk: Evidence from the international CDS market," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 53-66.
    28. Wang, Haifei & Guo, Ting & Tang, Qingliang, 2021. "The effect of national culture on corporate green proactivity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 140-150.
    29. Giuliana Birindelli & Graziella Bonanno & Stefano Dell'Atti & Antonia Patrizia Iannuzzi, 2022. "Climate change commitment, credit risk and the country's environmental performance: Empirical evidence from a sample of international banks," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1641-1655, May.
    30. Hoon Park & Clifford Russell & Junsoo Lee, 2007. "National culture and environmental sustainability: A cross-national analysis," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 31(1), pages 104-121, March.
    31. Rjiba, Hatem & Jahmane, Abderrahman & Abid, Ilyes, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and firm value: Guiding through economic policy uncertainty," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Leogrande, Angelo & Costantiello, Alberto, 2023. "The Role of GDP Growth in the ESG Approach at World Level," SocArXiv 93sn2, Center for Open Science.
    2. Yuchen An & Kunliang Jiang & Jiashan Song, 2023. "Does a Cross-Correlation of Economic Policy Uncertainty with China’s Carbon Market Really Exist? A Perspective on Fractal Market Hypothesis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Costantiello, Alberto & Leogrande, Angelo, 2023. "The Determinants of CO2 Emissions in the Context of ESG Models at World Level," MPRA Paper 117110, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Heekyun Oh, 2024. "The Moderating Role of ESG Administration on the Relationship between Tourism Activities and Carbon Emissions: A Case Study of Basic Local Governments in South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-26, June.
    5. Aiping Wang & Bin Dou & Xingfang Guo & Haifeng Hu, 2023. "Economic Policy Uncertainty: Does It Truly Matter?—Evidence from Corporate Fraudulent Behaviors in Chinese Capital Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-31, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Çiğdem Vural‐Yavaş, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty, stakeholder engagement, and environmental, social, and governance practices: The moderating effect of competition," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(1), pages 82-102, January.
    2. Peng, Daoju & Colak, Gonul & Shen, Jianfu, 2023. "Lean against the wind: The effect of policy uncertainty on a firm's corporate social responsibility strategy," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Vural-Yavaş, Çiğdem, 2020. "Corporate risk-taking in developed countries: The influence of economic policy uncertainty and macroeconomic conditions," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    4. Chen, Yanyan, 2022. "Does political turnover affect corporate investment? Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(PA).
    5. Antonios Persakis, 2024. "The impact of climate policy uncertainty on ESG performance, carbon emission intensity and firm performance: evidence from Fortune 1000 firms," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 24031-24081, September.
    6. Jia, Jing & Li, Zhongtian, 2020. "Does external uncertainty matter in corporate sustainability performance?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Saurabh Mishra & Sachin B. Modi & Michael A. Wiles, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and shareholder wealth: the role of marketing, operations, and R&D capabilities," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(5), pages 1011-1031, September.
    8. Biswas, Sonny & Zhai, Wei, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty and cross-border lending," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    9. Jun, Xiao & Huang, Wenwei & Guo, Yiting & Cao, Yuqiang & Lu, Meiting, 2023. "Why does economic policy uncertainty increase firm-level pollutant emission?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    10. Bhattacherjee, Purba & Mishra, Sibanjan & Bouri, Elie, 2024. "Does asset-based uncertainty drive asymmetric return connectedness across regional ESG markets?," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    11. Ben-Nasr, Hamdi & Bouslimi, Lobna & Ebrahim, M. Shahid & Zhong, Rui, 2020. "Political uncertainty and the choice of debt sources," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    12. Theodora Bermpei & Antonios Nikolaos Kalyvas & Lorenzo Neri & Antonella Russo, 2022. "Does economic policy uncertainty matter for financial reporting quality? Evidence from the United States," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 795-845, February.
    13. Hua Cheng & Kishore Gawande & Steven Ongena & Shusen Qi, 2020. "Get beyond policy uncertainty: Evidence from political connections," Swiss Finance Institute Research Paper Series 20-77, Swiss Finance Institute.
    14. Almaghrabi, Khadija S., 2021. "Borrowing during periods of policy uncertainty: The role of foreign lenders," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    15. Mario Daniele Amore & Margherita Corina, 2021. "Political elections and corporate investment: International evidence," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(9), pages 1775-1796, December.
    16. Ahmed Marhfor & Kais Bouslah & Abdelmajid Hmaittane, 2022. "Does Firm Political Risk Affect the Relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Value?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-23, September.
    17. Cui, Xin & Wang, Chunfeng & Liao, Jing & Fang, Zhenming & Cheng, Feiyang, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty exposure and corporate innovation investment: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    18. Chada, Swechha, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainties and institutional ownership in India," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    19. Attig, Najah & Driss, Hamdi & El Ghoul, Sadok, 2021. "Credit ratings quality in uncertain times," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    20. Muhammad Khalid Anser & Qasim Raza Syed & Hooi Hooi Lean & Andrew Adewale Alola & Munir Ahmad, 2021. "Do Economic Policy Uncertainty and Geopolitical Risk Lead to Environmental Degradation? Evidence from Emerging Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:5:p:4249-:d:1082223. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.